Robert Muldoon was the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. His career included many interesting policies and incidents, but arguably the most dramatic was the Springbok tour protests in 1981.
Muldoon was the leader of the National Party, which mainly represented the older conservatives, many of which lived in rural areas and are often referred to as 'Rob's Mob'. Muldoon portrayed himself as the politician who understood and represented the 'Ordinary Bloke' against the elites. He was therefore 'pro-tour', and held the stern view that politics and sport should not mix. Muldoon resisted pressure to cancel the 1981 Springbok tour due to the 1973 tour being cancelled but as a result he was accused of breaking the 1977 Glen Eagles agreement New Zealand had signed. However in an article Muldoon stated that he had not actually broken the agreement as: "New Zealand and subsequently other countries made it clear that they could not subscribe to an agreement which required them to abrogate freedoms of their sportsmen and prohibit sporting contacts."
This clearly demonstrated Robert Muldoon's conservative stance toward the Springbok tour, which was in line with many pro-tour New Zealanders at the time. The view held by most conservative individuals in New Zealand and also Muldoon was that Apartheid was none of New Zealand's buisness - why should we have to give up our rugby due to international pressure?
Through 1981 Muldoon held a pro-tour stance. he argued that his decision to not ban the tour left it up to individual conscience whether to play sport with representatives of an Apartheid state. Muldoon's actions toward the tour was a key factor as to why New Zealand was thrown in turmoil in 1981. The Government left it up to the people's consciences to decide whether or not to support the tour; a decision which made many New Zealanders feel obliged to protest against sporting contact with South Africa, an Apartheid country.
It is debatable whether New Zealand would have been better or worse off without the 1981 Springbok tour going ahead, but it is fairly certain that if Muldoon did have the foresight to cancel it, New Zealand would not have seen the acts of civil disobedience and protest that it did in 1981. For this reason. Muldoon was a key player and cause of the 1981 Springbok tour protests.
Muldoon was the leader of the National Party, which mainly represented the older conservatives, many of which lived in rural areas and are often referred to as 'Rob's Mob'. Muldoon portrayed himself as the politician who understood and represented the 'Ordinary Bloke' against the elites. He was therefore 'pro-tour', and held the stern view that politics and sport should not mix. Muldoon resisted pressure to cancel the 1981 Springbok tour due to the 1973 tour being cancelled but as a result he was accused of breaking the 1977 Glen Eagles agreement New Zealand had signed. However in an article Muldoon stated that he had not actually broken the agreement as: "New Zealand and subsequently other countries made it clear that they could not subscribe to an agreement which required them to abrogate freedoms of their sportsmen and prohibit sporting contacts."
This clearly demonstrated Robert Muldoon's conservative stance toward the Springbok tour, which was in line with many pro-tour New Zealanders at the time. The view held by most conservative individuals in New Zealand and also Muldoon was that Apartheid was none of New Zealand's buisness - why should we have to give up our rugby due to international pressure?
Through 1981 Muldoon held a pro-tour stance. he argued that his decision to not ban the tour left it up to individual conscience whether to play sport with representatives of an Apartheid state. Muldoon's actions toward the tour was a key factor as to why New Zealand was thrown in turmoil in 1981. The Government left it up to the people's consciences to decide whether or not to support the tour; a decision which made many New Zealanders feel obliged to protest against sporting contact with South Africa, an Apartheid country.
It is debatable whether New Zealand would have been better or worse off without the 1981 Springbok tour going ahead, but it is fairly certain that if Muldoon did have the foresight to cancel it, New Zealand would not have seen the acts of civil disobedience and protest that it did in 1981. For this reason. Muldoon was a key player and cause of the 1981 Springbok tour protests.